Socialist Party of the Netherlands

The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands that was founded on 22 October 1971. The party was founded as a Maoist and communist party named the "Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist-Leninist", but it was renamed to the "Socialist Party" in 1972; it opposed some of the Communist Party of China's activities, such as its support for UNITA in Angola. In 1991, the party dropped its commitment to communism in favor of socialism, and it called for a society where human dignity, equality, and solidarity are most important. Its core issues are employment, social welfare, and investing in public education, public safety, and health care, and the party opposed the privatization of businesses and globalization.